The invention concerns a system and method of monitoring wind power installations, wherein in particular acoustic monitoring is effected.
For effective use of wind power installations, it is advantageous for regulation and operational management of a wind power installation to be carried out in such a way as to ensure fully automatic operation of the installation. Any other mode of operation which requires manual intervention in the normal operating procedure is unacceptable for economic considerations. In order to further increase the economy of the installation, regulation should be effected in such a way that the degree of energy conversion achieved in each operating condition is as high as possible. A further important aspect in terms of regulation and operational management of a wind power installation is operational safety. Technical faults and environmentally induced danger conditions must be recognised and the safety systems present triggered. In addition a regulating system can contribute to reducing the mechanical loading on the wind power installation.
In terms of monitoring wind power installations it is also desirable if remote analysis can be carried out. That has the advantage that detection of respective operating data can be implemented centrally. Remote monitoring of that kind can lead to an increase in the economy of the installation and an increase in the average availability of the installation. In that situation for example the operating data are interrogated and analysed by a service centre or a remote monitoring centre. By means of analysis of the inputted parameters, it is possible on the one hand to afford early recognition of problems occurring, while on the other hand the operating data can provide important indications regarding the production and wind data for the development department. Analysis of such data by the development department can result in improvements to the wind power installation.
In a known wind power installation for example the following parameters are regularly monitored by sensor means: wind speed, wind direction, air density, rotary speed per minute (average and extreme values), temperatures, currents, voltages, switching pulse, lightning strikes (event counters) etc.
Analysis of the inputted parameters by the remote monitoring centre can result in an improvement in the on-site service as the remote monitoring centre can give the on-site service precise indications in regard to the fault sources.
For further improving maintenance, safety and economy of a wind power installation, it is desirable for further parameters of the wind power installation to be monitored.